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KBIS 2019 Shows True Colors

March 7, 2019 By Danielle Gundrum

Photography courtesy of Smeg USA with Dolce & Gabbana.

KBIS 2019 Shows True Colors

This year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS), combined with the International Builders Show and held in Las Vegas last month, did not disappoint.  New innovations and ideas have burst onto the scene, moving kitchen and bathroom design from sleek and streamlined to colorful and creative.  With over 600 brands revealing their newest products, the industry is clearly striving to meet the demand of homeowners who are ready to express their individualism after a season of neutral design and color. Get inspired to breathe new life into your own home as you read about the latest and greatest trends on the market.

Photography courtesy of True Residential.

COLOR MAKES A COMEBACK

The recent standard of gray and white is slowly fading into the background as color declares a grand resurgence.  Homeowners are excited about “making their mark” as color palettes expand to include vibrant shades of navy blue (hailed as “the new black”) and emerald green.  Sunshine yellow and exotic magenta introduce fresh vibrance to the scene, and even the softer dusty rose is making an appearance on cabinetry.  Victoria & Albert introduced a new line of freestanding bathtubs boasting 200 color options, ranging from light blue to bold orange, with a gloss or matte finish to top things off.  For those who prefer to dip a toe into this world of color rather than diving in headfirst, options such as changeable faucet wraps allow you to ease into the new color trends more gradually before making a bolder commitment.

Photography courtesy of House of Rohl.

PERSONALIZED AND CUSTOMIZED

Let’s get personal!  The kitchen and bath industry displayed new options for customizing your home for a unique and distinct touch of individuality.  Cookie cutter design and décor have made way for radical expressions of personality.  Hand painted appliances and tiles add a dash of eye appeal with fearless colors and designs.  BlueStar wowed the crowd with its ability to take nearly any image and print it on ranges, hoods, or refrigerators, allowing homeowners to add florals or stripes to otherwise solid surfaces.  In addition to color options which reflect the buyer’s own taste, inscriptions can be added to everything from faucets to bathtubs, furthering the trend toward singularly original design.

Photography courtesy of Ann Sacks, Collection: Crackle Collection by Kohler WasteLAB.

PATTERNS ADD PIZZAZZ

Patterns are popping up everywhere as design trends lean toward character and expression.  Even grab bars now present opportunities to show off color and pattern.  Kohler Co. collaborated with Ann Sacks for its stunning tile Crackle Collection, which recycles unfired pottery waste to create wall tile finished with a reactive glaze for dazzling effect.  Corian Design introduced new backsplash styles presented in panels that are cut into puzzle pieces, which are then pieced together on-site, to form geometric masterpieces.  This easy-to-clean option can also be back-lit for added punch.

Photography courtesy of Corian Design.

While KBIS always impresses with its cutting-edge introductions to the world of kitchen and bath design, this year was exceptional in sparking new interest for both industry trendsetters, designers and remodelers, and homeowners who are hungry for more than just the status quo.  With no end to the innovative products, ideas, and technologies on the forefront, homeowners have much to look forward to as they ponder and plan their next renovation products.

 

 

48th Annual Lebanon County Home & Garden Show

February 12, 2019 By Danielle Gundrum

48th Annual Lebanon County
Home & Garden Show

The Lebanon County Builders Association (LCBA) will host its 48th annual Home & Garden Show February 20-23, 2019 at the Lebanon Exposition Center and Fairgrounds on Rocherty Road in Lebanon, PA.  With more than 120 exhibitors and partners and 4,000 plus attendees, this event is a great opportunity for industry professionals to promote their services and for homeowners to find professional assistance for upcoming projects.  Red Couch Interiors has been participating in the LCBA Home & Garden Show for three consecutive years and enjoys building relationships with local businesses and the community.

Along with traditional displays, two NEW exhibitions have been added this year. The first is Homestead Structures, a local Lancaster County contractor, who prides itself designing and handcrafting personalized exterior structures that fulfill their client’s personal needs both functionally and inspirationally. Their structures include, but are not limited to, Tiny Homes, She-Sheds, Pool Houses and Pergolas.

The second new exhibition is Subcontractor Alley, a perfect showcase for small, local businesses to meet potential clients in a coffee shop type setting. Subcontractors and homeowners can meet face-to-face and make connections while enjoying a beverage and light snacks in a casual setting.

For the fourth year running, the Friday Night Fest will feature a wine tasting, sponsored by Red Couch Interiors. Local wineries will have samples and bottles to sell, and food samples and sales will be available as well. The first 100 customers in attendance will receive double-bottle wine totes. Direct sales vendors will also be exhibiting their products for resale.

Family Fun Day runs all day Saturday and includes a variety of events for all ages and interests.  The Humane Society of Lebanon County will host a Meet & Greet with furry friends for kids to enjoy, and Zoo America will give a presentation at noon.  Face painting and caricature drawings will be available, and an Award Ceremony for the Coloring Contest promises to be a highlight.  New for Family Fun Day is the addition of The Popcorn Hat Players, who will present their version of Aladdin.

Rounding out the week are the Builder/Remodeler Excellence Awards, an annual program recognizing excellence in construction by members of the LCBA.  This is an incredible opportunity for builders/remodelers and designers to showcase their talents by presenting projects that exemplify their best work.  Among the ten project categories are Kitchen Remodeling, Outdoor Living, and Interior & Exterior Specialty Remodeling. Last year Red Couch Interiors won Best Bathroom Remodeling, Best Kitchen Remodeling and Best Interior Design.

The Lebanon County Home & Garden Show presents a full range of opportunities and activities that will benefit both business owners and homeowners alike.  We encourage you to take full advantage of this event and to support your local builders’ association.

From Staging to Selling

January 17, 2019 By Danielle Gundrum

From Staging to Selling

Selling your home is a bittersweet experience. On one hand, you are anticipating a new house where you will put down roots and create new memories. On the other hand, you are leaving behind a history of all that is familiar. Despite the mixed emotions, you do want your home to sell quickly. Here are some tips and tricks the professionals use to help keep the process of buying and selling moving forward.

1. Think of staging your home as pre-packing.
Packing up a house in order to move means cleaning out all the nooks and crannies and deciding what to do with the things you’ve accumulated. You will be throwing some items away, donating others to charity, and packing others for attic storage. Staging a home to sell gives you a jump start on the whole process, and when the times comes to move, you will be grateful for the progress you’ve already made, and all your energy can go toward organizing your new space and making it your own.

2. Get rid of clutter.
Even the most organized of homeowners wage the battle with clutter. This is part of being real people with real lives, and while buyers do understand that, clutter will be a deterrent for them, not a drawing factor. Stash all your paperwork in a bin and keep it in a cupboard or drawer. Clean off surfaces throughout the house so phones, keys, earrings, and school papers are tucked away and countertops and table tops are clear. Keep all remotes in a side table drawer or stored neatly in a basket. Floors should be cleared as well, so place sneakers and umbrellas in their appropriate storage places and arrange pillows on couches or chairs. Organize your cupboards even though they are “hidden,” because potential buyers will open everything to gauge how much and what kind of storage is available. Get rid of anything you don’t use and pack away anything that is used infrequently. Spacious cupboards and closets convey to buyers that your home has ample space.

3. Find the balance between de-personalizing your home and keeping it cozy.
Potential buyers need to be able to envision their own families living in your house, and too many personal items will make it harder to imagine. Pack away your personal family photos, pictures drawn by your children, and everyday items like medication or make-up. On the other hand, your house should not look austere. Warm touches like live plants, fresh fruit, or beautiful hand towels will soften the look of your home and make it feel loved and lived in.

4. Baskets are your friend.
While decluttering and organizing are a necessity in staging, the reality is that you still need to live in the house while you are trying to sell it, and not everything can be put away. Baby paraphernalia, children’s toys, and even books can be tossed into baskets. This helps cut down on the clutter while still giving you easy access to things you will need on a regular basis.

5. Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Clutter isn’t the only thing to deter potential buyers; a dirty house will also discourage them from making an offer. Some minor investments and a bit of elbow grease will go a long way toward tempting future homeowners. Power wash your porch or deck. Scrub the grout between bathroom tile. Remove the build-up of dust on your ceiling fan paddles. Wipe down the shelves of your refrigerator, the inside of your microwave, and your stovetop. Paint any room that looks dingy or any trim that is scuffed. Buyers want a house that feels move-in-ready, not one they will have to clean.

6. Highly quality photos and a well-staged home help sell a house.
They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression, and that applies to selling your home. While a few personal items are fine for actual home tours, you want to pare your house down to the bare minimum for pictures. Floors and countertops should be clear, carpets freshly swept, toilet seats down, beds made, curtains opened, fresh towels hung, and new bars of soap unwrapped. Most real estate agents hire professionals to take pictures, and they have methods and equipment that make your home show off its best self. If this is not available to you, consider hiring your own photographer or asking a friend with a good camera to take pictures for you. Your pictures should show the flow and layout from room to room and give viewers a feel for the size and scale; don’t take pictures of stairs, furniture, or other secondary items that will automatically show up in the background of other photographs.

7. People understand that basements, attics, and garages are mostly functional.
While these areas should be clean and organized, you do not have to treat them with the same detail as the rest of the house. Arrange stored items in bins and boxes or line them up on shelves to create room for people to walk. Garden tools and vehicle-maintenance items don’t need to be hidden, just carefully hung or arranged. Again, buyers simply want a feel for how much storage space is available, and they need room to move about freely as they examine each space.

8. It’s going to feel like you are living in someone else’s home for a while.
Guess what? That’s because you are. The new owners will soon be arranging their furniture and hanging their child’s picture on the walls. You want potential buyers to be able to see themselves living in your house, so removing personal items, such as family pictures, will help them to attach while helping you to detach your emotions. Remind yourself that you will be on the flip side of things when you move into your new home.

Selling your home is a challenging process both physically and emotionally. Reminding yourself of all the good memories you’ve made and looking forward to new ones will help you embrace the process of transitioning your home into someone else’s hands. Tackling the staging process with enthusiasm and excellence will help the process move more quickly and get you ready for the new and exciting season ahead

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